Damian Lazarus' Day Zero: A party like no other

The mystical one-day party in Tulum is one for the books

Words: Valerie Lee | Images: Here & Now

10 February 2017

There are several elements that help to make up a great party: solid talent, an appreciative, excited audience, thoughtful decor and a venue and environment that's able to properly showcase all of the above.

Somewhere deeply embedded in what still feels like the untouched jungle of Tulum arrives Day Zero, a one day festival established five years ago by Damian Lazarus that embodies his otherworldly spirit better than any other concert hall or amphitheater ever could.

Part of the magic behind Day Zero is its ambition. Everything about it seems extreme: set out in a Tulum jungle that's near impossible to find on Google Maps, insanely long hours (doors open at 4PM Friday evening extending all the way through to noon the next day) and of course, an elite army of talent curated by Damian made up of Dixon, Âme, Mathew Jonson, Serge Devant, Bedouin, DJ Tennis, Satori, Metrika, Lum, DJ Three and Dinky, a roster more than able to keep the tenacious crowd inspired and engaged from beginning 'til end.

It's quite the balance game that Damian plays with the execution of Day Zero. Despite the wild, lawless feeling that remains in the tree-lined jungle backdrop, no detail is considered too small to help create the event's atmosphere. With Cirque Du Soleil founder Guy Laliberte’s Red Moon on board, it was no surprise that each corner of the Dos Ojos Cenotes carries its own unique piece of magic, from pillow-lined natural caves and cenote oasis where dancers came to dip their feet or dive straight in to mesmerizing lasers that electrified the jungle background.